Twenty minutes later, thereabouts, two patrol cars showed up. Santiago and I went to greet them and brief them. We then led them to Gwen. She gave them her story, briefly. Santiago and two of the four officers stayed with her while I led the other two officers back to Michael’s apartment.
One of the officers took notes, seemingly writing down everything Michael said and our short interjections and corrections. the other officer asked the questions.
After a few minutes of this, I had to interrupt. “Listen,” I said to the officer taking notes. “We’re Marines stationed in San Diego. We shouldn’t be here, you understand.”
The officer looked at me blankly.
“We should be at the base,” I continued. “Is it really necessary to include so many details in your report? I mean—”
“If you’re not here,” said the officer, “who broke his arm?” He pointed to Michael. “Who broke down the door?” He pointed down the corridor to the bedroom.
I nodded.
“The woman could have broken his arm in the struggle,” offered the other officer.
“The Mexican broke my arm!” Michael shouted.
Both officers and all of us looked down at him with disdain then dismissal.
“He could have kicked his door open in a rage,” said the officer pointing down at Michael.
The officer taking note put his hand out, open palm up, and shrugged his shoulders. “However you want to do it.”
“No sense getting these Marines in trouble,” said the other officer.
“No,” said Tristan. “We were here.” He pointed to the officer’s notepad. “Put that in your report. We were here.”
Taylor and Nolan, on either side of Tristan, turned to look at him with furrowed brows.
“If this goes to court,” said Tristan. “We can’t risk a story with obvious holes in it leading to this scum”—he motioned with his head to Michael—“getting away with what he did.”
“He’s right,” I said.
The officer taking notes looked from me to the other members of the squad. “Are you sure? I’ll put whatever you tell me in the report.”
“These punks broke into my home,” Michael shouted, “and they broke my arm and kicked down my door.”
Nolan pointed to the officer’s notepad. “Yeah, we were here all right.” He glanced at Michael then back to the officer. “We’ll face whatever discipline we have to face from our superiors, but we’re not letting this guy get away with what he did.”
It was nearly three thirty in the morning when the officers drove off with Michael cuffed in the back of the patrol car.
Taylor leaned into the open window of the SUV. He smiled at Gwen and said, “It’s over, now.”
Gwen pulled her blanket snug around her. “I just want to go home.”
I felt the same.
We packed into the SUV and drove off.
22
Gwen
In retrospect, seeing Axel walk along the beach with a girl I didn’t recognize, brood about it for days then take off to Los Angeles into the sleazy company of my sleazy ex-boyfriend might have been a bit of an overreaction. Then again, even though I had to fight him off and I ended up bound and gagged, locked in his bedroom, I did get to see Michael writhing in pain on the floor then handcuffed and summarily driven away in the back of a patrol car. So, at the end of the day, it might have all been worth it. And my Marines had come to my rescue!
Axel took my hand. “Your knuckles look scraped.”
“Yeah, that’s because I punched the bastard in the face,” I said proudly.
“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Santiago chimed in from the driver’s seat.
I shook my hand out. “Actually, it kind of hurts.”
Axel kissed my sore hand and each of my knuckles.
“And my cheek kind of hurts, too,” I said.
He laid a soft kiss on my cheek.
“I feel a little soreness in my shoulder,” I said.
And he laid a soft kiss on my shoulder.
“Where’s your car?” asked Santiago.
“Augh,” I groaned and leaned back in my seat. “Back at the bar.”
“Shall I take you there?”
Going back to that place, let alone getting in my car and driving it, was the last thing I felt like doing at the moment. I felt so good, comfortable and secure, packed in tight with my Marines in their SUV.
“Just take me home, Santiago. I’ll deal with my car when I’m ready to deal with my car. Not now.”
“Your wish is my command,” he said.
I put my hand on Axel’s knee and snuggled my head against his shoulder. “I like the sound of that,” I said.
“Strap in, guys,” said Santiago. “This won’t be a bumpy ride, but it will be a fast one.”
He wasn’t kidding. I hadn’t thought of an SUV as being a sports car, but Santiago treated it like one. He took a turn a bit too fast, and I slammed into the door. “Owe.”
“Ou, sorry about that, Gwen,” said Santiago. “We’ll be on the highway in a minute.”